Succession
Lee Jong-gyu gripped the wheel, and before long, they arrived at the PER team home. It felt exactly like coming back after any other match, which left Lee Chang-hyun oddly dazed instead.
"Hey, so how long are we gonna keep living here? Now that we're in Division 2, shouldn't we move to a nicer place or something?"
Han Ji-su grumbled. She'd joined the team acting like she'd leave any day, but now she was settling in so deep she was even giving advice like this. Well, that said, they couldn't stay here forever.
"We'll have to find a new sponsor in Division 2. We'll need more team members going forward, and better facilities too."
It looked like the offseason would be pretty hectic.
"Eh, Division 2's no big deal. We all expected it, right?"
"Yeah, it was a given once we teamed up with Chang-hyun."
Kim Do-jun and Yoon Han-gyeol said the words, but they looked thrilled. Not everyone felt the same, though—the original PER members. Yi Yeon-ju especially seemed full of worry.
"……But from now on…… do we have to keep competing like this……?"
Lee Chang-hyun could guess what she meant.
Yeah…… this match must've been especially tough on Yeon-ju.
Her combat power was low, and her skills were mostly support-oriented, so it must've been frustrating. She was probably thinking it'd only get harder if things kept going like this.
But that wasn't something to worry about much.
"No need to stress. This map was just a bit extreme. Hunters League is all about team fights at its core."
Maps like this one, close to pure 1v1s, were rare.
Of course, even if team fights are key, the battles ahead will only get tougher.
No need to pour cold water on the good mood right now, though.
Just then, an interesting topic came up.
"So, no matches for a bit—what do we do in the meantime?"
"Training."
The mood chilled instantly. It was a joke. Did the code not land?
"We busted our asses for two weeks prepping for promotion—what, right after that we're doing it again?"
Kim Do-jun whined, clinging to him. It was really a joke. Half-serious, maybe.
"Not just training, obviously. Hunters Day is in a week, so we'll rest up till then and go."
"Oh…… right. That…… exists."
"Hunters Day? What's that?"
The original PER members knew, but Kim Do-jun and Yoon Han-gyeol seemed clueless.
"Oh…… you debuted this season, so you wouldn't know. Think of it as a big party for everyone in the Hunters League scene."
"Ooh…… so Division 1 players come too?"
"Not just them—commentators, casters, sponsors. Pretty much anyone related shows up."
Hunters Day wasn't just a post-season mingle. It was a final wrap-up for the season and a business event to prep for the next.
"So, keep the dress code in mind and prep some outfits. Everyone's coming—no showing up looking sloppy, right? It's the team's face."
As he nagged about this and that, an alarm buzzed. A message from Lee Geun-taek.
What kind of life had he lived? Simple. He'd dedicated himself to protecting others' happiness and peace, and Lee Geun-taek could say that proudly.
The sudden emergence of the Tower and superpowers. He'd become a hunter to shield people from them, to fight.
But that's ancient history now……
The meaning of being a hunter had faded. As the world found peace from the Tower, old-generation hunters like him were obsolete.
Then he realized it wasn't true. Hunters League had reborn hunters as a hot new sport, reigniting passion in people's hearts. Sure, from protectors to entertainers—but the essence remained.
'Making people happy.'
Was that all? Even as sports, they honed their powers, carrying on the legacy of fallen Tower raiders.
His first meeting with Lee Chang-hyun proved it. The leg-focused habits reminiscent of old comrade ranged dealer Moon Hyun-jun. The seamless use of Air Anchors and Air Beats, like extensions of his body. Not identical in every detail, but clearly inheriting the techniques of those who'd conquered the Tower.
And more—he felt a fire he hadn't in ages. Watching his matches. Watching him resurrect and elevate a discarded team.
That let Lee Geun-taek decide. To entrust his legacy to this young man who'd challenged him, shown burning spirit, and achieved what he'd abandoned.
And now the boy stood before him.
"You've handed over the team—what else you wanna talk about? Not asking it back now that we're in Division 2, right?"
His cheeky grin said he knew it was a joke.
"You punk. What do you take me for? Tsk. I call you for rice cakes, and you spout nonsense—now I feel bad just giving 'em……."
"Rice cakes?"
His eyes lit up instantly. Greedy as ever—that's how he'd dragged the whole team to Division 2. Rising solo would've been easier than free rice cakes.
The more he watched, the more baffling the kid was.
"Yeah, rice cakes. Big ones. Guess what they are."
Curiosity flickered in his eyes. PER was his, plus solid gear—what more? He was still young.
"Some sponsor you know, Chairman? Wow~ How'd you know we need more……."
"Not a sponsor. ……But at this rate, the sun'll rise."
He nodded at an ornate box nearby.
"Open it."
Lee Chang-hyun approached and lifted the lid, his face shifting subtly. Soon, it turned serious.
'He recognizes it……'
"Chairman, this is……."
"Yes."
What he pulled out was a relic shaped like a napkin or cravat for the neck.
A newbie hunter grasping a relic's weight? He hesitated to speak.
"It's yours now. And PER is purely your team. That's all—head back. You must be beat from the match."
With that, he sent him off. No lingering regrets now. The meaning of a hunter's life. Carrying it on. Remembering old comrades.
The form might evolve, but the succession would continue. He'd watch till his last breath, of course.
'Well, he has no clue what that relic really means, huh? Heh…… didn't tell him.'
Lee Chang-hyun would learn later that Lee Geun-taek's gift wasn't just the relic.
A relic was an object from the Tower defying Earth's laws, imbued with supernatural power like an awakened human's abilities. Naturally priceless, beyond measure. Most were state-owned; privately held ones via legit channels were rare.
'Never thought I'd own one……'
Totally unexpected. He'd used them in league maps or pre-regression, but owning one outright? First time, regression included.
Who'd predicted bonding with that old grandpa(?) from leg training—unlike pre-regression—would lead here?
Shoving aside the shock, he activated Piercing Eye and stared through the relic.
Honestly, no universe-destroying beam or anything epic. States probably locked down such power for personal use anyway.
Silent Command
Something speech-related, probably. He'd need to test it to grasp the exact power. These were vague until used.
Anyway, back at PER home, it was lively.
"Ooh…… what's that? Wearing it instead of a tie to the party?"
"Maybe?"
"Eek……."
Yoon Han-gyeol's joke got a "maybe" and a "You……?" look, then glances between him and Kim Do-jun.
Why? What? Why?
"Now I see you're a full attention whore too. Knew it."
Kim Do-jun jumped in.
These punks had no idea. Pre-regression, he'd used relics as international league prizes, knew adaptation needed bonding—through use.
'And cravats pair well with suits anyway, being French-style ties……'
He pulled out his party suit.
"It's historic—don't badmouth it. You guys prepped outfits? Like I said, that's the team's face that day."
Slipping into the suit felt nostalgic.
"Ooh…… looks good with the suit."
"Bullshit—who wears that in this day and age."
"Do-jun, maybe you're the twisted one?"
"Tch."
Strutting once, the team approved—clean, sharp. They chatted casually.
Funniest was team flower Yi Yeon-ju's reaction. Face beet red, making the watcher embarrassed. Her words were hilarious.
"Kinda…… cool? No, I mean, you could say……."
Just a suit—back to her usual fumbling. Too cute to ignore.
"Whaaat~? Stuttery nerd, can't hear~? Say it louder~."
Thwack. The fight-weak girl punched his side.